1849.

LAWS OP MARYLAND.

CHAP. 296.

her lawful owner, or possessor, or shall harbor any run-
away slave or servant, knowing him or her to be such,
then such person or persons shall be liable to indictment
in the county court of the county where such offence
shall have been committed, or in the city court of the
city of Baltimore, or in the district court of Howard
district, if such offence shall have been committed in
the city of Baltimore, or Howard district, and upon
conviction shall be sentenced to undergo a confinement
in the penitentiary house for a period of time not less
than six, nor more than fifteen years, there to be treat-

ed as the law directs.

If the offender
be a slave.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That if any slave shall
be duly convicted of any offence under the provisions
of the first section of this act, such slave may in the
discretion of the court before whom such conviction shall
be had, be sentenced to undergo a confinement in the
penitentiary house, as is hereinbefore provided, or to re-
ceive on his or her bare back any number of lashes not
exceeding forty.

Inconsistent
acts repealed.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted. That the act of
December session eighteen hundred and forty-four, chap-
ter eighty, the act of December session, eighteen hundred
and twenty-seven, chapter fifteen, the second section of
the act of December session, eighteen hundred and eigh-
teen, chapter one hundred and fifty-seven,and all acts and
parts of acts inconsistent with any of the provisions of

Proviso.

this act, be and the same are hereby repealed; provided
nevertheless, that nothing herein contained shall be
deemed or construed in any manner to hinder or prevent
the indictment, conviction and punishment, of any person
or persons, who at the time when this act will go into
operation, shall have committed any offence punish-
able under any of the acts hereby entirely or partially
repealed, but such person or persons shall be liable to be
indicted, convicted and sentenced, at any time after the
passage of this act, in the same manner, and for the
same period or periods of confinement, as he, she or
they, might or could have been, had the acts hereby
repealed continued in full force and operation.